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For Immediate Release
February 24, 2000

News Release

Assabaska Settlement Signed

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TORONTO – The Indian Commission of Ontario (ICO) announced today that a final settlement of the Assabaska Shoreline issue has been signed. The settlement calls for the mainland portion of the Lake of the Woods Provincial Park to become a reserve held jointly by the Mishkosiimiiniiziibing First Nation and the Ojibways of Onigaming First Nation.

"It is important that the Assabaska lands be confirmed as reserve," stated Chief Glenn Archie of Mishkosiimiiniiziibing (Big Grassy River First Nation). "We wish to honour our elders and leaders who worked for so long to bring a settlement our people could approve. Now it is important for us to bring this to the final stages of implementation, and I hope we do as good a job as they did. I want to see this settled and implemented long before I get grey hair!"

"To our people it was always about land," said Chief Bob Kelly of the Ojibways of Onigaming First Nation. "Our elders advised us all the way along not to accept any settlement without land. We are looking forward to the implementation of this agreement that starts today and hope it will be completed quickly."

"The final settlement reached on the Assabaska Shoreline claim shows what can be accomplished when we work in partnership with First Nations to resolve outstanding treaty obligations. This is in the spirit of Gathering Strength - Canada's Aboriginal Action Plan," said Minister Nault, federal Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. "Settling this land claim will clarify land and resource ownership and provide the people of the Assabaska First Nations with expanded economic opportunity, creating a positive and stable climate for investment on First Nation lands and in surrounding communities."

Ontario's Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Native Affairs, Jim Flaherty said, "I'm very pleased that we were able to negotiate a settlement on the Assabaska Shoreline Claim. The settlement of this land claim will help the community become economically strong, independent and self-reliant."

In addition to the land to be provided by Ontario under the settlement, the First Nations will receive compensation totalling $4,060,000 from Canada, and $1,565,000 from Ontario, to be placed in a joint trust. In return Ontario and Canada will receive a full release of any reserve interest the First Nations have in the lands at issue. This will bring certainty to the First Nations and the surrounding communities. Under the settlement agreement, the First Nations agree to continue to offer park services to the public for so long as it is economically viable. The creation of the reserve under the settlement is subject to an environmental review, title search, and survey of the lands.

The federal and provincial governments accepted the Assabaska Shoreline issue for negotiation in 1980; the ICO began to facilitate the negotiations in September 1993. At issue were 647.5 hectares of land on the shores of Lake of the Woods which the First Nations' legal action indicated was taken without consultation or lawful surrender under the Indian Act. Public consultations on the proposed settlement were held in the Lake of the Woods area between June 1997 and November 1997.

"This settlement resolves any uncertainty with respect to navigation and the rights of property owners within the Assabaska Shoreline claim area," said Natural Resources Minister John Snobelen.

The Mishkosiimiiniiziibing First Nation and the Ojibways of Onigaming First Nation were known as the Assabaska Band from the signing of Treaty #3 in 1873 until the mid 1960s.

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Chief Bob Kelly
Ojibways of Onigaming First Nation
(807) 484-2162

Steven Outhouse
Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
(819) 994-2044

Commissioner Philip Goulais
Indian Commission of Ontario
416-973-6390

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Background Information: History of the Shoreline Reserve and the Settlement Negotiations